


Come back to me

by Nic_louise_12



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Army, Love, M/M, Soft Ben, ballum - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-31 01:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20107258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nic_louise_12/pseuds/Nic_louise_12
Summary: Callum goes away to the Army, Ben isn’t thrilled about this, but it’s only 4 months. Will Callum fulfil his promise and come back to Ben? If so what state?





	Come back to me

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Smugdendingle for this wonderful idea! I hope I did it justice haha!! As always if you have any ideas or prompts just comment and I shall do as you request! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy ❤️

Callum and Ben both thought they faced the hardest time in their lives together when Callum came out and broke things off with Whitney, but the world seems to throw them another twist of time. This time last week Callum got woken up to a phone call, he glanced at his phone and realised what the number, quickly jumping out of bed and going into the hall he answers “Hello” he says lowly to not wake everyone up, a few moments go by and he sighs as he’s hanging up, walking back into the bedroom he finds Ben awake and confused “sorry had a call to take” smiling at Ben “everyone okay cal” he mumbles as he pats Callum’s side of the bed, Callum joins him and turns away “I’m going back Ben, for 4 months..” he heard the sharpness of bens breathe “when” Ben mumbles trying to hide the sadness in his voice, Callum just sighs “a week today”.

Ben made sure they spend every day together, buying Callum little gifts, reminding him about how much Ben adores him, as the days creep near, it makes it harder for Callum to leave, the night before they both laid in bed together, Ben lays his head on Callum’s chest “just promise me two things” he says almost a whisper “anything” Callum mumbles into his hair and Ben sits up, taking Callum’s hand in his and looking at him “Promise me that you won’t put yourself in danger..” Callum can see Ben mentally preparing himself as he speaks again “and promise me.. cal promise me you’ll come back to me as you are now” bens voice gives in and breaks, tears softly rolling down his face, Callum just grabs him and pulls him close “I promise you, I’m never leaving you, I’ll be back in 4 months” he softly kisses bens cheeks “I love you, promise me you will always remember that” Callum says keeping it together a little better and Ben just looks up, and kisses him softly. 

The morning he was leaving, Callum got up and got showered, digging his old uniform out and getting changed into it, as he walks out the bathroom Ben is sat up, hair messy and his glasses on, “well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes” he teases Ben jumps up and pulls his sweatpants on, he’s not making any effort he’s allowed to be sad today, he walks over to Callum fixing his collar, “take this with you” Ben says shyly as he looks at the floor handing Callum a box “what is it” Callum replies ever so softly before opening it, it’s a pin, just a simple Pin designed in the letter B, he looks down at Ben “just a part of me will always be with you.. sorry if you don’t like it” Ben says small, as Callum is so best breaking point, he smiles as he stabs it through his shirt on top of his heart “how does it look” he says grabbing bens chin and pulling up a little before Ben could speak he places his lips over his, a long, soft, warm kiss before pulling away. 

The carters and Micthells both come round to say bye, as they are waiting for the car to collect Callum, Ben is quite, more than normally and Callum is trying not to let that get to him as much because he hasn’t cried yet, and if he does well he won’t stop, Callum sees the car pulling up so decides to go round the group hugging everyone, he reaches Mick who gives him a longer hug and Callum mumbles into Micks ear “keep a eye out for Ben, he’s important to me, I love him” and mick just nods, finally reaching Ben he pulls him close “remember I love you, and I’ll be back soon, don’t go and do nothing crazy without me yeah” he says down bens ear and ben just lets a little laugh and cry out “cal, I love you, so much, come back to me” is all Ben can mange and Callum nods into his shoulder, tears now falling he pulls away “see me out” he smiles at Ben taking his hand, they walk down the garden and reach the pathway to the car they stand hand in hand facing each other, both of the saving this memory and the feeling for 4 months “I love you Ben Micthell, More than anything and no matter where I end up, every night I’ll look to to the stars because where ever I am, we can always see the same on” he closes his eyes to stop the tears falling and Ben pulls him in, “Callum Highway, you are the best thing to happen to me, I miss you already, I love you and .. just come back to me” this had Callum sobbing once more before they kissed, this kiss was a little more hot and heavy, more them and with a final squeeze of bens hands Callum turns and gets into the waiting car. 

A few weeks have past and Ben has tried to keep himself busy, getting the odds letters here and there off Callum just keeping him up to date where he is in the world and so on, he’s meeting up with jay and Lola most nights, thing are the best the can be. A month into his stint and Callum gets a day off he did mention in the previous letters that he’d call Ben and so here he is dialling bens number, he listens to the rings before Ben picks up 

“H-hello” Ben says  
“Ben it’s me it’s Callum” he says excitedly  
“Shit, Cal, god, hello” Ben says shyly  
“Uh is this a bad time” Callum asks a hint of fear in his voice and bens quick to respond  
“Jesus cal no! It’s just 4am here that’s all” 

Of course how did Callum forget the time difference, he smiles a little  
“Oh uh I can ring back if”  
“No don’t you dare hang up!” Ben shouts “I’ve-I’ve missed you” Ben says softly down the phone  
“You have no idea how much I miss you” Callum replies tears piling up 

They have a nice chat, Callum telling Ben all the sights he seen, how Lexi would have loved the animals he’s seen and touched, how Ben would of loved the quite little places he’s found, as they talk longer Callum can sense Ben getting more tried 

“Right I’m going to go, let you sleep, I wish I was there, I miss you Ben, but I love you so much more” he says softly into bens ear a few moments past and he hears Bens voice, small, soft

“I love you cal, come back to me liked you promise” and with that he hangs up, tears spring to his eyes. 3 more months he thinks to himself. 

Ben wakes up that day, happy at the fact he’s heard Callum’s voice but sad at the fact he wants to hear it all the time, be with the man he loves. He decides to take the day off and go to the Vic.

He’s just sat having a quite drink for once, when mick spots him as he’s on the phone, he’s stood the bar as he hears micks voice tighten “halfway, halfway” he’s shouting down the phone, bens hair stand on his arms as he walks towards Mick who is now white as hell, he grabs the phone off mick to listen “Cal, Callum?CAL?!” He shouts when he hears it, a faint voice of Callum “I’m coming back to you Ben” and the line goes dead, both men stand in shock “w-what happened mick” is all Ben can master to say “Ben I’m not sure” and then it hits Ben, Callum’s is at war obviously and then he thinks the worst, storming out the vic, why did the world hate him so much? Why did the world rip everyone he loves away? He’s not even sure what has happened but he knows he doesn’t want to stick around to find out, but then he remembers the words “I’m coming back to you” Callum’s ghost of a voice and he stops, he feels as the world hasn’t stopped spinning, he drops to he knees and just lets out a cry, followed by Callum’s name being shouted all over the square.

Both jay and Kathy runs over to him, grabbing him and taking him home, the second they are in he lashes out and grabs the bottle of whiskey “I can’t carry on without him too” he sobs as he takes a long sip from the bottle “he was everything, he was mine and now” he eyes darkens but he continues to sob, he sits there for a while drinking and sobbing to himself but he turns “I love him mum” he cries out at Kathy who just quickly moves towards him holding him that’s all she could do. A few days past and bens found a new best friend in a whiskey bottle, word soon gets around the square about Callum but still no one knows what has happened until a late Friday afternoon around 5ish mick comes running into bens living room seeing a very drunken upset Ben who looks like he hasn’t showered in days he turns “sober up, get showered and hurry up!” He says to Ben as he turns probably to quick for his body “m-mick? W-why?” He sobs and mick comes over pulling him “listen son, I made halfway a promise to look after you and that’s why I’m doing, he’s back in the country you muppet, we need to get there soon as so go” Ben is numb, as he steps in the shower he’s head playing tricks on him, as he returns down stairs he’s met by the carters and his own family “right Ben you come with me and L, everyone else follow us” Mick starts to walk out “oh Ben take this and sober up” handing him a butty from the cafe and a drink they get into the car.

They all pull up at the hospital, they find a doctor “we’re here for Callum Highway” Phil says taking charge, “right this way sir” they all follow and she stops “Mr Highway has been in a terrible explosion, he has a broken arm and 3 cracked ribs, he’s been burned a little too so just take that into account” she looks around the group “no more than two people at one time” she smiles “he’s right through there” everyone turns to Ben “no not yet someone else go” his hisses out as he sits down Mick and Linda decide they will go on first, coming out a few moments later, Linda in tears and mick walks up to Ben “he’s asking for ya” he smiles squeezing bens shoulder, the rest go in which leaves Ben, “right you lot let’s give them some privacy, we’ll be in the cafe downstairs” mick smiles walking everyone away. Ben stands out the door, taking a few deep breathes he walks in, his eyes spotting Callum on the far left he walks overs as he reaches Callum he turns his head “you still drunk then” Callum asks looking worried at Ben “no, I’ve sober up a little” Ben smiles small at him “oh Ben” Callum cries as he reaches for his hand “I promised I’d comeback to you didn’t I.. look” he opens his other hand and the pin sits in his palm, “I never let go of it” Callum smiles tears spilling out his eyes, Ben sits there in disbelief he doesn’t know if he should slap Callum or kiss him. Ben sits down next to Callum, his hand still in Callum’s “I thought I lost you” Ben says softly but slowly.. Callum looks at Ben all broken “but you didn’t Ben.. I’m still here..” he smiles as he brushes his fingers over bens, maybe it’s because he nearly lost the love of his life well second love, or the fact his emotions are everywhere but he looks over Callum’s body and meets his eyes, smiling a little and taking deep breathes he just opens his mouth and the words fly out “marry me cal” he quickly clicks to what he’s just said and walks out the room leaving Callum with the ghost of his scent, “Ben” he hears as he’s stops door half open “of course I will you nutter” and he’s turning quickly on his heel “what” he says breathless as he reaches Callum’s bed side again.. “of course I will” Callum laughs Ben sits down, how could a smile and a handshake turn into marriage? He didn’t come back for this, he wasn’t supposed to fall head over heels in love with Callum, heck he thought about running when he thought he lost Callum, and looking at Callum now broken a little and bruised “how did I get so lucky” he says looking at Callum and Callum just smiles “I just have a type for blokes who push me, throw little digs at me” he smiles but also because I promised someone I wouldn’t settle for anything better than that he mumbles.

In that moment the both of them share a look, a look of home, love and above all else a look which is was only meant for them. 

If Callum dreamed about this when he was younger he would of laughed, sure he’d join the army but he wouldn’t be here recovering with his soon to be husband next to him, Ben Michell May of not been his first love, but he was going to make sure he was his last. 

He turns and says the three simple words “I love you” to Ben and it’s like a firework has gone off, he’s heard Callum say this countless of times before but never this raw, never this true, Ben knew he was home, his home was in Callum


End file.
